


promises

by castielwholmes



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, bc the world needs more kaonazu, help me, this is so self-indulgent oh my god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 15:06:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11210583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castielwholmes/pseuds/castielwholmes
Summary: Kaoru finds out the only thing scarier than confessing to your crush is asking his kouhai what they think about it.





	promises

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this entire thing during my summer class instead of paying attention i'm sorry if it sucks  
> also shoutout for kaonazu for being gay  
> and to @loumochi and @phaniel_howlter on twitter for inspiring this

Kaoru didn’t think anything could be more nerve-wracking than actually confessing to the boy he couldn’t stop thinking about, but somehow, he realized as he approached the three youngest members of Ra*bits as they sat outside eating lunch, this was even worse.

_-_

_“So. Yeah. Would you maybe wanna… go out sometime?” He’d never been so awkward asking someone on a date, but then again he’d never before asked out a boy, much less one he’d had a suppressed crush on since their first year that hadn’t gone away when he realized he was a guy._

_Nazuna laughed, his arms still around Kaoru’s neck from the kiss they’d just shared, and seemingly over the initial shock (though that didn’t make his face any less red). “That’d be great, Kaoru-chin. I’d… I’d like that. But you may want to run it by my kids first.”_

-

He knew Nazuna wasn’t _completely_ serious, but here he was, awkwardly standing by three first years engrossed in conversation.

Mitsuru noticed him first, which was no surprise considering the kid seemed to have a radar for anything and anyone related to Adonis. “Ha-chan-senpai? What’re you doing here?” The other two turned to look at him. Kaoru was used to being stared at, you don’t get this far in life with such incredible good looks without people looking at you, but under their stares he felt himself shrinking back. What was he doing? He was Hakaze Kaoru, notoriously the most carefree member of the most frightening unit in Yumenosaki, yet here he was cowering under the curious stares of three first years without the slightest air of intimidation.

“Um.” Perfect. The perfect way to start what he was going to say. “Uh, yeah, hey guys. I just. Wanted to ask you guys about something.” His eloquence was truly unparalleled. He should start writing lyrics.

The three boys shared a look.

“Is it about Nii-chan?” Mitsuru asked. Immediately after the two others glared at him (if what the blue haired one, Hatsume? No, Hajime, was doing could be considered a glare).

“Mitsuru!”

“Mitsuru-kun!”

“What? Nii-chan has mentioned Ha-chan-senpai a lot lately, so maybe Ha-chan-senpai wants to talk about Nii-chan too! Wait, but you didn’t hear what I said!”

Kaoru smiled. “Hear what? I heard nothing.” Did Nazuna really talk about him that much? Cute.

“That Nii-chan talks about you, yanno!”

Another chorus of “MITSURU” sounded and Kaoru found it difficult not to laugh. Nazuna was right, this kid really was innocent to the point of cluelessness. He recalled the time he overheard Adonis shamefully telling Souma that he was indebted to Mitsuru for alerting him that Anzu’s underwear was showing as he gave her a piggyback ride. Of course Kaoru would naturally do the same thing, he wasn’t _that_ kind of guy, but he’d at least appreciate the view…

Right. Back to the present moment. Kaoru blinked twice to clear his mind. “Don’t worry, Mitsuru-kun. I didn’t hear anything about how Nazuna-kun talks about me.”

The boy was visibly relieved. “Good, ‘cause Nii-chan would be really mad if he knew, yanno!” The other two, Hajime and… Tomoda? Tomoya, shared a look. “But is it about Nii-chan?”

“Why would it be about Nii-chan?” Tomoya asked, looking at Kaoru nervously. “Hakaze-senpai doesn’t want anything to do with guys.”

A few months ago he would have been completely right, but Kaoru placed a hand over his heart and feigned offense. “I’m hurt, Tomoya-kun. I’ll have you know that although I may be the gods’ gift to women and girls alike, it’s not like I’m against the male population.” This did nothing to change the first year’s expression. “But if you’re worried I’m here because of Nazuna-kun’s crush on me, then you’re right.”

Hajime had been fairly quiet until now, when he stepped in front of Kaoru with his hands on his hips. He had to admit it was pretty cute, like a little kid. And with his hair Kaoru could almost imagine him as a protective little sister. “If you have a problem with Nii-chan just because you don’t like boys, we won’t let you hurt him!” The blue haired boy’s voice was strong, but he was clearly on the verge of tears and Kaoru felt like the world’s shittiest human being.

It had certainly taken a long time for Kaoru to accept that he liked Nazuna, and that it was for far more than the fact that his appearance was much like a girl’s. But he couldn’t lie to himself and say that his smile didn’t stick in his mind for hours after seeing it, and that his laugh was musical and made him feel even better than when he’d make a girl laugh.

“He was in a bad mood because you seemed scared and wouldn’t look at him when he’d say hi. So can you try and not act like he’s something awful?” Hajime pleaded.

“Yeah, Nii-chan is the bestest person in the world, yanno!” Mitsuru added. “Along with Ado-chan-senpai and Arashi-chan senpai and Nee-chan and Sora-chan and Tomo-chan and Hajime-chan and…”

“Yeah, I get it, you love Nazuna-kun a lot.”

“Yep!”

Honestly, Kaoru had been more than aware of how jumpy he’d been around Nazuna recently. But there was no way he could look him in the eye the mornings after a few _very decidedly non-heterosexual_ dreams, and that awkwardness and, well, confirmation of his attraction to him had given him the push needed to actually confess.

-

_“This is a messed up joke, isn’t it?” Nazuna glared at him, hurt flaring in his ruby eyes. “It’s not funny, Kaoru-chin!”_

_Shit. This was not how this was supposed to go._

_“Nazuna-kun-”_

_“Go away. I don’t know how I ended up liking someone who’d do something like this.”_

_“Nazuna-kun, it’s not a joke!”_

_“You’ve made things very clear. I know you don’t like guys, you can’t fool me.”_

_“Let me show you how serious I am.” The smaller boy’s eyes widened in shock at the utterance of Kaoru’s signature phrase, though Kaoru didn’t have much of a chance to see his surprise as he closed his eyes and tilted Nazuna’s chin up to kiss him._

_It was clear Nazuna had no idea what was going on or what he was doing, and Kaoru backed off quickly when he didn’t respond. Did he really mess up that badly? But Nazuna didn’t look upset, more surprised and confused than anything else._

_“You really meant it?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_Nazuna’s face, previously red from anger but currently purely from exhilaration, contorted in about ten different ways as he processed what was going on. It was rather interesting how easily Kaoru could read him, watching him wonder if he was the kind of person to kiss a guy for a prank and if this is real or a dream and oh god what if he’s a horrible kisser and embarrasses himself. Kaoru didn’t realize he was holding his breath until the other boy seemingly decided on the brightest smile he’d ever seen._

_“Then, sorry for what I said earlier. You don’t hafta forgive me, but if you want, you could kiss me again?”_

_-_

“I don’t have any problem with Nazuna-kun, don’t worry. It’s… kinda the opposite.” Three pairs of eyes were suddenly fixed so intensely on him that he felt completely exposed. “I asked him out.”

“WHAT?”

Kaoru jumped at the outburst from the three of them. “Yeah, and he said I should talk to you guys first. I figured you guys should know, anyway.” Not that there was any way Nazuna wouldn’t tell them, of course.

The moment he finished his sentence Mitsuru moved over to him and stared him in the eye. For someone so free and open, this kid was difficult to read and Kaoru felt uneasy. But he didn’t look away. After what felt like ten minutes he seemed to have finished and jumped back to join the other first years with a bright smile. “I think he’s okay! And Ado-chan-senpai respects him, and anyone Ado-chan-senpai likes can’t be bad, yanno!”

“Thank you, Mitsuru-kun.”

“You’re welcome!”

He looked over at Hajime and Tomoya. “How about you guys? Is it okay with you?”

The pair looked apprehensive for a split second, then Hajime smiled. “Nii-chan likes you a lot, Hakaze-senpai. I… used to be afraid of you, but I think you’ve definitely changed. Just, can you promise to keep him happy?”

“If you don’t, we’ll…. you’ll regret it.” Tomoya seemed unable to think of a threat that would intimidate Kaoru and that was actually feasible. “But you looked really happy when you said you asked him out, so I guess it’s okay?”

Kaoru couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so relieved, and the thought that he’d been that worried about what three first years would say was almost laughable. He grinned.

“Awesome. So I guess you might end up seeing more of me, just letting you know.”

Mitsuru bounced up and down in place. “I can’t believe Nii-chan has a _boyfriend_!” he exclaimed.

“And why is that so hard to believe, Mitsuru-chin?” An amused voice sounded from behind them, and the four boys turned to see Nazuna stepping into view. “Kaoru-chin, I can’t believe you actually asked them.”

“Nii-chan! Diiiiive!” Mitsuru jumped into Nazuna’s arms, who laughed and pat his head. It was a sweet sight, made rather amusing by how the younger boy was over two and a half inches taller than his unit leader.

 "Well, I had to make sure they'd be okay with it," Kaoru replied, heart suddenly pounding as Nazuna let go of Mitsuru and walked over to him.  "I wouldn't want them to hate me."

"They wouldn't hate you."

"I'm pretty sure they'd murder me if I did anything to make you upset." 

Nazuna grinned.  "I'd get you first."

"Okay, that was c-cute but also a little terrifying."

"Did Kaoru-chin just call me cute?"

"I'm working on it."

"Cute."

"And you're calling  _me_ cute now?"

"Yep."

 -

_The three first years, after sharing a few looks and observing their senpai, decided it would be best if they took their leave.  Not that Kaoru or Nazuna noticed, as the pair had just begun to examine Nazuna's kissing technique, complete with Nazuna's fears that he's not the best kisser coming true, promises that Kaoru would always be more than happy to help him practice, and the laughter of two idiots who've finally sorted things out._

**Author's Note:**

> why is this ship so underrated when it's so good i don't understand  
> anyways thank you for reading this dumb thing


End file.
